11 years- Still Hangin

This topic has 34 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 8 months ago by MariaH.

Post

- March 25, 2011 at 9:59 pm
- Quote
Adriene
Participant
Hi everyone! I just like to update here and there. I was diagnosed 11 years ago with stage III nodular melanoma. I had a positive node in my groin, had lymph node dissection followed with 4 four months of biochemo. Darkest days of my life, but I’m here and so grateful. During that time I
became MPIP obsessed. I made and lost wonderful friends. Don’t lose hope, keep fighting! God bless all of you.

Hi everyone! I just like to update here and there. I was diagnosed 11 years ago with stage III nodular melanoma. I had a positive node in my groin, had lymph node dissection followed with 4 four months of biochemo. Darkest days of my life, but I’m here and so grateful. During that time I
became MPIP obsessed. I made and lost wonderful friends. Don’t lose hope, keep fighting! God bless all of you.

Viewing 15 reply threads

Replies

- - March 25, 2011 at 10:10 pm
  - Quote
  ValinMtl
  Participant
  Thanks Adrienne for update. Love hearing about stories such as yours. Val Stage IV
  - March 26, 2011 at 8:12 am
    
    Quote
    Nicky
    Participant
    
    Hi Adriene
    
    That is awesome news.
    
    I remember you because you were diagnosed the same time as me. I am in my 11th year of surviving Stage III to with melanoma to 1 node in the groin area also.
    
    Thank you for posting especially for the newbies. Keep fighting.
  - March 26, 2011 at 8:12 am
    
    Quote
    Nicky
    Participant
    
    Hi Adriene
    
    That is awesome news.
    
    I remember you because you were diagnosed the same time as me. I am in my 11th year of surviving Stage III to with melanoma to 1 node in the groin area also.
    
    Thank you for posting especially for the newbies. Keep fighting.
  - March 26, 2011 at 8:12 am
    
    Quote
    Nicky
    Participant
    
    Hi Adriene
    
    That is awesome news.
    
    I remember you because you were diagnosed the same time as me. I am in my 11th year of surviving Stage III to with melanoma to 1 node in the groin area also.
    
    Thank you for posting especially for the newbies. Keep fighting.
  - March 26, 2011 at 8:12 am
    
    Quote
    Nicky
    Participant
    
    Hi Adriene
    
    That is awesome news.
    
    I remember you because you were diagnosed the same time as me. I am in my 11th year of surviving Stage III to with melanoma to 1 node in the groin area also.
    
    Thank you for posting especially for the newbies. Keep fighting.
- - March 25, 2011 at 10:10 pm
  - Quote
  ValinMtl
  Participant
  Thanks Adrienne for update. Love hearing about stories such as yours. Val Stage IV
- - March 25, 2011 at 10:31 pm
  - Quote
  dian in spokane
  Participant
  Hey Adrienne!
  
  Good to see you again, and great to see such fantastic news.
  
  11 yrs is great! may you have another 77
  
  dian
- - March 25, 2011 at 10:31 pm
  - Quote
  dian in spokane
  Participant
  Hey Adrienne!
  
  Good to see you again, and great to see such fantastic news.
  
  11 yrs is great! may you have another 77
  
  dian
- - March 26, 2011 at 2:20 am
  - Quote
  Bill G
  Participant
  Good to hear you are still hangin in at 11 years. I recall when you were active on MPIP (I'm pushing for 14 years NED this Sept. )
- - March 26, 2011 at 2:20 am
  - Quote
  Bill G
  Participant
  Good to hear you are still hangin in at 11 years. I recall when you were active on MPIP (I'm pushing for 14 years NED this Sept. )
- - March 26, 2011 at 2:43 am
  - Quote
  Bonny in Maine
  Participant
  Your survival is very encouraging! I was diagnosed with stage III nodular melanoma this year. Surgery removed the tumor and most of the nearby parotid gland because cancer cells were found in the sentinel lymph node. I will start interferon-alpha treatments on Monday.
  - March 26, 2011 at 4:01 am
    
    Quote
    Adriene
    Participant
    
    Awesome Bill!!! Hi Dian! It makes me feel so good to see you guys still posting on here!
    Bonny, good luck on Monday. I remember when I was first diagnosed. I hung on to the survival stories. Feel free to email me if you want to talk. [email protected]
    My ‘old timer’ friends, feel free to add me on facebook!
  - March 26, 2011 at 4:01 am
    
    Quote
    Adriene
    Participant
    
    Awesome Bill!!! Hi Dian! It makes me feel so good to see you guys still posting on here!
    Bonny, good luck on Monday. I remember when I was first diagnosed. I hung on to the survival stories. Feel free to email me if you want to talk. [email protected]
    My ‘old timer’ friends, feel free to add me on facebook!
- - March 26, 2011 at 2:43 am
  - Quote
  Bonny in Maine
  Participant
  Your survival is very encouraging! I was diagnosed with stage III nodular melanoma this year. Surgery removed the tumor and most of the nearby parotid gland because cancer cells were found in the sentinel lymph node. I will start interferon-alpha treatments on Monday.
- - March 26, 2011 at 11:45 am
  - Quote
  Lisa13
  Participant
  Adriene, I'm so happy for you – you give many of us hope 🙂 I too was diagnosed with nodular melanoma this year 22MM deep and ulcerated! Only 1 lymph node was positive (lymph node dissection) and I even had a less than 1 mitotic rate. Hearing your story gives me hope as nodular melanoma seems to be the most cruel of them all. May I ask if you're nodular melanoma was thick?
  
  I wish you many more wonderful years disease free.
  
  Lisa – Stage 3
  - March 26, 2011 at 6:15 pm
    
    Quote
    Adriene
    Participant
    
    Lisa, mine was 4mm deep and ulcerated. Like you, I had the one positive node. The whole thing was a horrific nightmare, but there is hope and light at the end of the tunnel! What treatment are you doing?
  - March 26, 2011 at 10:51 pm
    
    Quote
    Lisa13
    Participant
    
    Hi Adriene,
    
    After alot of thought, I have decided NOT to to Interferon, but I'm looking into clinical trials for IPI for adjuvent therapy. I still have the drain in my leg from my lymph node dissection a month ago, so I can't do any treatment until it comes out. Both my oncologist and another person from high up in the chain of the oncology department both suggested not doing Interferon (but it was still my choice). They said the success rate was very low and it wasn't worth putting my body through hell for a year. They think IPI has a much better success rate.
    
    I'm also doing alot of holistic stuff – vitamins, supplements, etc to help make my body as hostile for cancer as I can. When you're Stage 3, you're willing to do anything to keep this from coming back for as long as possible. 🙂
    
    I'm so happy for you – you give me hope even though my melanoma is 5 times bigger than yours.
    
    Lisa
  - March 29, 2011 at 12:04 am
    
    Quote
    Adriene
    Participant
    
    Lisa, I also decided against interferon. Instead, I went for the bio-chemo hoping to knock it all out. It either did the trick or I just got lucky. I spent countless hours reseaching all my options before I made a decision. I’m sorry to say I’ve been out of the loop for several years and am not familiar with IPI. Keep up with the good attitude! I could be wrong, but I think we are on similar playing fields even though my mm was not as deep. It still got to one of my nodes.
  - March 29, 2011 at 12:04 am
    
    Quote
    Adriene
    Participant
    
    Lisa, I also decided against interferon. Instead, I went for the bio-chemo hoping to knock it all out. It either did the trick or I just got lucky. I spent countless hours reseaching all my options before I made a decision. I’m sorry to say I’ve been out of the loop for several years and am not familiar with IPI. Keep up with the good attitude! I could be wrong, but I think we are on similar playing fields even though my mm was not as deep. It still got to one of my nodes.
  - March 29, 2011 at 12:04 am
    
    Quote
    Adriene
    Participant
    
    Lisa, I also decided against interferon. Instead, I went for the bio-chemo hoping to knock it all out. It either did the trick or I just got lucky. I spent countless hours reseaching all my options before I made a decision. I’m sorry to say I’ve been out of the loop for several years and am not familiar with IPI. Keep up with the good attitude! I could be wrong, but I think we are on similar playing fields even though my mm was not as deep. It still got to one of my nodes.
  - March 29, 2011 at 12:04 am
    
    Quote
    Adriene
    Participant
    
    Lisa, I also decided against interferon. Instead, I went for the bio-chemo hoping to knock it all out. It either did the trick or I just got lucky. I spent countless hours reseaching all my options before I made a decision. I’m sorry to say I’ve been out of the loop for several years and am not familiar with IPI. Keep up with the good attitude! I could be wrong, but I think we are on similar playing fields even though my mm was not as deep. It still got to one of my nodes.
  - March 26, 2011 at 10:51 pm
    
    Quote
    Lisa13
    Participant
    
    Hi Adriene,
    
    After alot of thought, I have decided NOT to to Interferon, but I'm looking into clinical trials for IPI for adjuvent therapy. I still have the drain in my leg from my lymph node dissection a month ago, so I can't do any treatment until it comes out. Both my oncologist and another person from high up in the chain of the oncology department both suggested not doing Interferon (but it was still my choice). They said the success rate was very low and it wasn't worth putting my body through hell for a year. They think IPI has a much better success rate.
    
    I'm also doing alot of holistic stuff – vitamins, supplements, etc to help make my body as hostile for cancer as I can. When you're Stage 3, you're willing to do anything to keep this from coming back for as long as possible. 🙂
    
    I'm so happy for you – you give me hope even though my melanoma is 5 times bigger than yours.
    
    Lisa
  - March 26, 2011 at 6:15 pm
    
    Quote
    Adriene
    Participant
    
    Lisa, mine was 4mm deep and ulcerated. Like you, I had the one positive node. The whole thing was a horrific nightmare, but there is hope and light at the end of the tunnel! What treatment are you doing?
- - March 26, 2011 at 11:45 am
  - Quote
  Lisa13
  Participant
  Adriene, I'm so happy for you – you give many of us hope 🙂 I too was diagnosed with nodular melanoma this year 22MM deep and ulcerated! Only 1 lymph node was positive (lymph node dissection) and I even had a less than 1 mitotic rate. Hearing your story gives me hope as nodular melanoma seems to be the most cruel of them all. May I ask if you're nodular melanoma was thick?
  
  I wish you many more wonderful years disease free.
  
  Lisa – Stage 3
- - March 26, 2011 at 6:52 pm
  - Quote
  DonW
  Participant
  Seems I remember you from somewhere too! Nice to hear you are doing well — you really beat the odds.
  - March 28, 2011 at 11:51 pm
    
    Quote
    Adriene
    Participant
    
    Don, I was thinking about you the other day, which is what actually prompted me to post an update. And whatever! I remember relentlessly grilling you in the chatroom whether you personally thought I would be okay, and you always, always said yes. And for some reason, I always believed it from you. 🙂
  - March 28, 2011 at 11:51 pm
    
    Quote
    Adriene
    Participant
    
    Don, I was thinking about you the other day, which is what actually prompted me to post an update. And whatever! I remember relentlessly grilling you in the chatroom whether you personally thought I would be okay, and you always, always said yes. And for some reason, I always believed it from you. 🙂
- - March 26, 2011 at 6:52 pm
  - Quote
  DonW
  Participant
  Seems I remember you from somewhere too! Nice to hear you are doing well — you really beat the odds.
- - March 27, 2011 at 1:28 am
  - Quote
  Charlie S
  Participant
  Hey, Adriene, good to see you are still hanging. In MPIP Parlance, you are now an old timer ! People need to know Melanoma is not always a death sentence.
  
  Cheers,
  
  Charlie S
  - March 28, 2011 at 11:54 pm
    
    Quote
    Adriene
    Participant
    
    Hey Charlie, you ol’ rascal! Nope, melanoma is NOT always a death sentence. Aww man, did you really have to pull that old pic out? I’m all grown up now and my hair is all the same color. 😉
  - March 28, 2011 at 11:54 pm
    
    Quote
    Adriene
    Participant
    
    Hey Charlie, you ol’ rascal! Nope, melanoma is NOT always a death sentence. Aww man, did you really have to pull that old pic out? I’m all grown up now and my hair is all the same color. 😉
- - March 27, 2011 at 1:28 am
  - Quote
  Charlie S
  Participant
  Hey, Adriene, good to see you are still hanging. In MPIP Parlance, you are now an old timer ! People need to know Melanoma is not always a death sentence.
  
  Cheers,
  
  Charlie S
- - April 1, 2011 at 10:39 am
  - Quote
  MariaH
  Participant
  Thank you so much for posting. My hubby is almost at his 2 1/2 year NED mark, although a fellow warrrior friend (same stage as hubby) just went to stage IV. Since staying positive is a must, your post is much appreciated!! Cheers to many more years NED!
- - April 1, 2011 at 10:39 am
  - Quote
  MariaH
  Participant
  Thank you so much for posting. My hubby is almost at his 2 1/2 year NED mark, although a fellow warrrior friend (same stage as hubby) just went to stage IV. Since staying positive is a must, your post is much appreciated!! Cheers to many more years NED!